Test facility for testing bus exhaust emission levels

TfL has extended its contract with Millbrook to provide testing services for bus emissions and fuel consumption for a cleaner UK capital city.

Millbrook Group has been awarded an extension to its contract with Transport for London (TfL) to cover crucial bus emissions and analysis testing. The agreement continues a long-standing relationship between the two companies, with Millbrook entrusted with the responsibility for the testing of bus emissions and other aspects including noise, acceleration and stability.

With the subject of urban air quality more important that ever, TfL has developed a strategy designed to ensure a cleaner, less polluted capital city. For 20 years, Millbrook’s specialist team and facilities has proved invaluable in the ongoing work to reduce on-surface emissions in the capital.

Working with TfL led to the development of the Millbrook London Transport Bus Cycle (MLTB), used to evaluate all buses purchased on behalf of the authority. This test criteria, and the restrictions on pollution within London, has driven manufacturers to adopt new technologies delivering tangible benefits to public health, CO2 reductions, improved fuel consumption and the strength of the UK bus industry.

Millbrook’s Powertrain facilities are capable of testing vehicles in temperature-controlled conditions from -30C up to 50C, and in compliance with Euro VI legislation, providing results for HC, CO, NOx, NO, NO2, N2O, PM and PN. The growing focus on air quality, especially in built-up urban areas, means that bus manufacturers and operators increasingly require accurate emissions data, which influences product development to produce cleaner vehicles.

Alex Burns, CEO of Millbrook Group, said: “It is testament to the strength of our facilities and our personnel that TfL has chosen to work with Millbrook for so many years. TfL will be able to take advantage of the significant investment made during 2016, including the £11 million currently being spent on Millbrook’s Powertrain department.

“Really understanding a vehicle’s on-road emissions is vital, especially in an area as densely populated as London. Having the in-depth knowledge that our testing procedures provide will help to reduce vehicle emissions and make real world improvements to the air quality and living environment of the city.”

As well as lab facilities for temperature controlled testing, Millbrook’s test tracks replicate UK roads to enable accurate real-world testing using Portable Emissions Measurement Systems (PEMS). The team’s extensive knowledge of the latest legislation relating to vehicle emissions also enables the development of test programmes specific to a customer’s requirements.